Mitt



Feb. 12, 1935. M. 'KOFFLER ETAL MITT Filed Nov. 21, 1933 INV NTORS (fir ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1935 MITT The present invention relates to mitts and is more particularly directed toward a provision of a protective mitt adapted to be worn on the hand to protect the palm of the hand and the ends of the thumb and fingers of the hand.

Pads made of steel wool are quite generally used for the cleaning of pots and pans. These pads may contain detergent material. This steel wool is an excellent abrasive for cleaning the material of the pot or pan or other article, but has the disadvantage that it roughens the skin of the fingers of the user and small particles of the steel wool may puncture the skin and become embedded in it causing soreness in the afiiicted part.

To protect the hands against such injuries, it is customary for the wearer to use rubber gloves or to mount the pad of steel wool on some form of holder. Neither of these methods are entirely satisfactory for the gloves are more or less of a nuisance and the holder does not permit access to the more inaccessible parts of the dish being cleaned.

The present invention contemplates a mitt which the user can wear for this purpose. The mitt contemplated by the present invention is one in which one can place the fingers and thumb without difficulty. It is flexible and permits grasping the pad of steel wool in practically the same way that one would grasp it in the bare hand, and yet it completely protects the wearer against abrasion of the skin by the steel wool and against contact with strong soaps or scouring powders which may be employed.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes cf illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the mitt on the hands of the wearer;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The mitt contemplated by the present invention is preferably made of a semi-rigid impervious material, such for example as soft, vulcanized rubber of approximately the thickness and rigidity which is employed in electricians gloves.

The mitt is preferably made of a single piece of this vulcanized rubber and has a large pocket 10, a small pocket 11, and a connecting member 12. The large pocket is of such a size as to receive three or four fingers of the hand while the small pocket isof a size to receive the thumb. The depth of these pockets is preferably such that the second joint of the fingers and the first joint of the thumb come approximately at th upper edge of the respective pockets.

The mitt made as described is readily pliable but is suiiiciently rigid to stand alone, so that when the user desires to put it on the hand it is only necessary to reach for the mitt, pass the finger tips and thumb into the proper pocket. It can be used either left handed or right handed and when no longer needed it can be removed from the hand very easily. This material is water proof and puncture proof, so that the steel wool or other cleaning pad may be securely gripped without any danger of abrading the skin of the fingers or bringing the fingers into contact with the strong, detergent materials which may be employed in the cleaning operation.

It will thus be seen that our invention, comprises a mitt for use on the digits and palm of the hand for protecting them against abrasion by pads of steel wool or the like. It is a soft, pliable, rubber article, with two pockets, one rather small, to receive the end of the thumb, the other considerably larger, to receive the finger tips. The two pockets are constructed as a unit with a connecting portion which normally assumes a bent, substantially U shape to extend across the palm of the hand. The device is constructed of a single piece of soft rubber which is of suflicient thickness and rigidity to keep the pockets open so that the fingersand thumb may be passed into the proper pockets without assistance from the other hand and. the connecting portion keeps the thumb and finger pockets substantially parallel in order to make them readily accessible to the thumb and fingers.

The device is much more satisfactory in use than ordinary thin rubber gloves. These thin gloves are difficult to put on, tear readily, and make the hands perspire, while the present device is easy to put on, does not induce perspiration, and is strong enough to adequately protect the user.

What is claimed is:

1. A mitt having a thumb receiving pocket, a pocket for receiving the tips of the fingers, and a connecting portion adapted to pass across the palm of the hand, the mitt being in the form of a single piece of flexible rubber soft enough to be readily pliable bythe hand and. rigid enough to 10 ing portion which normally assumes a bent, substantially U shape to extend across the palm of the hand, said soft rubber being of sufficient thickness to keep the pockets open by its inherent resiliency so that one may pass the fingers and thumb into the proper pockets without assistance from the other hand and to keep the thumb and finger pockets substantially parallel.

MAX KOFFLER. JACK 'HIRSCH. 

